Installing and configuring sites to run on-premises connectors

Connectors can run in a cloud or in an on-premises environment. Connectors that run in an on-premises environment require a local connector runtime environment to be installed. As the BMC Helix Integration Service administrator, you can install one or more local connector runtime environments, referred to as sites.

A site specifies where to host the connector service and includes information that the connector needs to operate. It enables your applications to securely connect to third-party systems.

To add a site in development or production

Navigate to Sites, click Add New Site, and select the type of site thet you want to add.

Site type

Description

Production

Select this type if you want to deploy a connector in Integration Studio.

A production site connects to on-premises applications that are located in a company network.

Note: After you add a production site, you must configure it. The site specifies which Integration Controller will run the connector and includes relevant information that depends on the connector. Typically, the configuration includes information related to the connection:

The host where the target application is located.

The port used to connect to the application.

The protocol used to connect to the application.

Development

Select this type if you want to develop a connector by using the Connector Designer. See Developing connectors.

Enter a name and description for the site, and click Save.

Integration Controller communication connections

After you add a site, you must install Integration Controller on a virtual machine to connect to on-premises applications. The purpose of Integration Controller is to run connectors to execute flows and perform actions that involve other applications and services that run within your data center. The following illustration shows how Integration Controller interacts with on-premises applications and the BMC Helix Integration Service cloud:

Integration Controller safely and securely communicates with the BMC Helix Integration Service cloud by establishing an outbound connection to the cloud on port 61600. The connection from Integration Controller to the BMC Helix Integration Service cloud is encrypted via Transport Layer Security (TLS).

Note

The BMC Helix Integration Service cloud does not establish any inbound connection to Integration Controller. You do not need to open any inbound ports in your corporate firewall.

Integration Controller connects to the message queue that runs in the cloud, and receives configuration information and instructions on the actions to be performed. The protocol that runs over this connection is the Open Wire protocol.

Integration Controller system requirements

For a successful installation of Integration Controller, your system must match the following requirements:

To install Integration Controllers

To increase the stability of BMC Helix Integration Service performance, BMC recommends that you install primary and secondary Integration Controllers. These controllers are configured as an active-active pair—if one of the controllers goes down, the other one continues processing.

Note

Installation of the the secondary Integration Controller and the sequence of installation are optional. You can install only primary, only secondary, or both Integration Controllers.

Navigate to Sites, and on the new production site that you have created, click Get Controller.

From the Install Integration Controller field, copy the installation command, and run the command in a command shell.

Note

Integration Controller is installed in your current directory, BMC recommends that you create a new directory for the controller, and run the cURL command from the new directory. The installation process creates a number of files in the directory, such as docker-compose.yml, base-services.yml, reinitController, and panama-on-premise.env. You might need to use these files while troubleshooting Integration Controller.

In the command shell, follow the instructions, and enter a host password for your user account.

Enter the controller instance you are installing: either primary or secondary.

Refresh the Sites page in your browser.

The status of the installed controller is Online, as shown in the following screenshot:

Integration Controller status

You can verify the performance of either primary, or secondary Integration Controller by checking their statuses on the Sites tab in BMC Helix Integration Studio. Integration Controllers can have the following statuses:

The Not Installed status—shows that Integration Controller is not installed for a site.

The Online status—shows that Integration Controller is installed and working.

The Offline status—shows that Integration Controller is stopped, or its connectivity is lost.

The Impaired status—shows that a connector that is configured for the site is not running

Note

If you have both primary and secondary Integration Controllers installed, and one of them is in Down or Impaired status, flows will continue to run as expected until either controller is Online.

To update a production site

The Update button appears for production sites when updates to one or more base controller components become available (see screenshot above).

You can only update a site if it is Online.

Log in to BMC Helix Integration Studio.

Navigate to Sites, and click Update to update the intended production site.Any primary and secondary Integration Controllers installed for the site will restart (may take a few minutes), and the site will update.

Refresh any BMC Helix Integration Studio instances that are open in your browser.

To update a development site

When an update becomes available for production sites (see previous section), you may want to update your development sites as well.

The Integration Controller installed for the site will restart (may take a few minutes), and the site will update.

Refresh any BMC Helix Integration Studio instances that are open in your browser.

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